The way Jesus "divides"Luke 12:51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division

The way Satan "divides"Luke 22:31 Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat

How would you summarize the difference between how Jesus is a divider and Satan?

Let’s see.

Jesus divides by offering Himself to be freely chosen, which creates a fork in the road–we choose Him, or we choose not-Him. So Jesus appeals to man’s free will to invite him into freedom and fulfillment where his nature is healed and his supernature is delighted. Jesus invites, and supplies all the floats necessary to accept the invitation, so that man rises up to Him, leaving others behind.

Satan divides by offering a lie, in order to confuse a man’s choice, manipulate his already clouded intellect, and present to his unruly will some evil thing as if it were a good. So Satan seeks to use man’s bent but free will to further bend him into slavery. Satan deludes so as to oppress and force man to disintegrate into hell with him.

Jesus divides for man’s welfare. The division arises out of some men’s following the invitation to happiness, divided from those who freely fail to follow.

Satan divides for man’s destruction. The division itself is a goal of Satan–to divide men from God. There is no invitation from Satan–rather, a manipulation dressed as an invitation and calculated to appeal to the twistedness of human will.

I guess I think we’re using the word “divide” equivocally–Jesus divides in the sense He unites, see. That is, He joins us to the truth which has the secondary effect of passively creating a division–the division is actually created by mankind’s two reactions to the one invitation.

Whereas Satan really divides without equivocation. His goal is division itself–dividing a man from God, from his neighbors, and even maybe especially from the man himself. The last thing Satan desires is to unite the man to himself, Satan.